Patents by Inventor John W. Tidland

John W. Tidland has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6214397
    Abstract: A roasting device is designed to fit and operate inside a conventional, general purpose, home oven. The roasting device utilizes the heating and exhaust system already in place for the oven allowing the roasting device to be substantially less complex and less expensive than existing coffee roasting systems. The roasting device includes roasting chamber or drum for containing the coffee beans. The roasting chamber has a first and a second end and a substantially cylindrical sidewall. The substantially cylindrical sidewall includes a plurality of perforations uniformly distributed along its length. The perforations allow the heat from a conventional home oven to reach the circulating coffee beans during roasting thereby producing evenly roasted coffee beans. The coffee beans discard chaff during roasting that is expelled through the perforations to a tray positioned underneath the roasting chamber. The first and second ends are substantially concave for preventing the coffee beans from adhering to the ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2001
    Inventor: John W. Tidland
  • Patent number: 6123971
    Abstract: A roasting device is designed to fit and operate inside a conventional, general purpose, home oven. The roasting device utilizes the heating and exhaust system already in place for the oven allowing the roasting device to be substantially less complex and less expensive than existing coffee roasting systems. The roasting device includes roasting chamber or drum for containing the coffee beans. The roasting chamber has a first and a second end and a substantially cylindrical sidewall. The substantially cylindrical sidewall includes a plurality of perforations uniformly distributed along its length. The perforations allow the heat from a conventional home oven to reach the circulating coffee beans during roasting thereby producing evenly roasted coffee beans. The coffee beans discard chaff during roasting that is expelled through the perforations to a tray positioned underneath the roasting chamber. The first and second ends are substantially concave for preventing the coffee beans from adhering to the ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Inventor: John W. Tidland
  • Patent number: 5958494
    Abstract: A roasting system includes a roasting chamber having an air infeed vent for receiving air and a flue for directing exhaust air from the roasting chamber. An air reconditioning system coupled between the air infeed vent and the flue eliminates the need for external venting. The air reconditioning system includes a heater for heating the air received in the roasting chamber through the infeed vent and an air filtering system. A fan draws the exhaust air from the roasting chamber, passes the exhaust air through the air filtering system and past the heater and then recirculates the filtered and reheated air back into the roasting chamber. Continuously filtering recirculated air allows the roasting system to be placed in retail coffee shops without requiring external ventilation or producing objectionable odors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Don S. Welch
    Inventors: John W. Tidland, Don S. Welch
  • Patent number: 5601182
    Abstract: A high precision feed chain includes multiple support platforms that are each rigidly attached to master links in a drive chain. The master links are pivotally coupled together forming a single continuous drive chain capable of advancing in a longitudinal direction. The support platforms and the drive chain run along a channel in a guide assembly. The guide assembly allows the chain to advance in the longitudinal direction while at the same time maintaining the support platforms in a stable latitudinal and horizontal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Inventor: John W. Tidland
  • Patent number: 5083489
    Abstract: A web slitting machine for cutting a web or roll of material includes an upper carriage assembly joined to a lower blade holder assembly by a selectively removable guide key which is milled to provide a predetermined cant angle for the blade. The blade is lowered into position by a piston which is rectangular and includes a torsion-resisting sleeve to prevent rotation of the piston about its vertical axis. A pneumatic control provides a plurality of control modes whereby the blade may be raised and lowered with or without locking the upper carriage assesmbly to its transverse bar and vice-versa. A unique side shift adjustment is provided whereby the blade may be shifted to a half-stroke position and the upper carriage locked when the blade is positioned against a lower knife. This ensures that the pressure of the blade against the knife is the pressure exerted at the mid point of the stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Assignee: Tidland Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Tidland, Reinhold A. Schable, Casey M. Vander Bom, Borendra K. Biswas, William R. Miller
  • Patent number: 5058475
    Abstract: A web slitting machine for cutting a web or roll of material includes an upper carriage assembly joined to a lower blade holder assembly by a selectively removable guide key which is milled to provide a predetermined cant angle for the blade. The blade is lowered into position by a piston which is rectangular and includes a torsion-resisting sleeve to prevent rotation of the piston about its vertical axis. A pneumatic control provides a plurality of control modes whereby the blade may be raised and lowered with or without locking the upper carriage assembly to its transverse bar and vice-versa. A unique side shift adjustment is provided whereby the blade may be shifted to a half-stroke position and the upper carriage locked when the blade is positioned against a lower knife. This ensures that the pressure of the blade against the knife is the pressure exerted at the mid point of the stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1991
    Assignee: Tidland Corporation
    Inventors: John W. Tidland, Reinhold A. Schable, Casey M. Vander Bom, Borendra K. Biswas, William R. Miller
  • Patent number: 5025693
    Abstract: A web slitting machine for cutting a web or roll of material includes an upper carriage assembly joined to a lower blade holder assembly by a selectively removable guide key which is milled to provide a predetermined cant angle for the blade. The blade is lowered into position by a piston which is rectangular and includes a torsion-resisting sleeve to prevent rotation of the piston about its vertical axis. A pneumatic control provides a plurality of control modes whereby the blade may be raised and lowered with or without locking the upper carriage assembly to its transverse bar and vice-versa. A unique side shift adjustment is provided whereby the blade may be shifted to a half-stroke position and the upper carriage locked when the blade is positioned against a lower knife. This ensures that the pressure of the blade against the knife is the pressure exerted at the mid point of the stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Tidland Corporation, a Washington Corp.
    Inventors: John W. Tidland, Reinhold A. Schable, Casey M. Vander Bom, Borendra K. Biswas, William R. Miller
  • Patent number: 4233972
    Abstract: A battery operated filter blower unit is arranged to be supported on the person and has connection by a flexible conduit to face pieces such as masks worn by the person, thus allowing a person wearing the filtering device to move about freely. The filter blower unit has universal use with substantially all face pieces. For example, it can be used with a safety mask arranged to be removably supported on a head band having a front opening which is substantially perpendicular to the safety mask whereby ejected air diffuses in all directions against the mask to prevent polluted air from being drawn in around the mask. The mask preferably is turned rearwardly at the sides as well as at the top and bottom to provide a good diffusion of air. The filter blower unit has universal use in that it can be connected to respirator face masks of conventional use or to oxygen type face masks also of conventional use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1980
    Inventors: Wolfgang Hauff, John W. Tidland